He recorded two full-length albums with Nugget Records, and said a song called "Molly Darlin'" even hit the charts in England. However, he said the company was pushing a younger musician to the masses and he chose to head back to Michigan.

Shoen said he recorded two more albums with Showtown Records in Lansing and toured for almost two years throughout the country with a scheduled appearance on the Buck Owens' Ranch Show before returning home to his wife who had fallen ill.

Though Shoen never learned how to read music, he said he can "plunk out" a tune on the piano by ear and enjoys singing to his favorites by Eddy Arnold. Most recently he has been singing with other local musicians at the Ionia County Commission on Aging.

Shoen said he feels positively about his music career and said he is proud he knows he can succeed in it, even if the success is only local.